North Side vandalism deciphered, leads to suspect, police say

Monday

ELLWOOD CITY - Sometimes, police work is like what you see on TV - you know, "CSI" or "Law & Order," although usually it's not.

But when Ellwood City police solved a Dec. 27 vandalism case in which dozens of homes were tagged with spray-painted graffiti, their inspiration came not from television, but from the classics.

Police on Thursday charged Alexander Hohbach, 21, of 324 Hazel Ave, Ellwood City, with 44 counts each of criminal mischief and graffiti and two counts of institutional vandalism.

Hohbach is suspected of marking 44 homes, garages, trailers and other structures in Ellwood City's North Side neighborhood on Dec. 27. He is also accused of spray-painting a building and flagpole at North Side School belonging to Ellwood City Area School District, and a school and a bus at the old St. Agatha School, owned by Holy Redeemer Parish.

At the time, police announced that most of the graffiti was in the form of letters such as "EC" and "ECNS," but police said Monday that other letters were painted on the buildings. It was those letters that gave Hohbach away, police said.

Lt. Dave Kingston, Ellwood City police department's ranking officer, said Hohbach signed his first name - in Greek letters - to some of his work.

"We deciphered the Greek letters," Kingston said.

Kingston also said officers pursued rumors that had been circulating around the North Side neighborhood and talked with people who had been at a party with Hohbach on Dec.

27 before and after the spray-painting.

Some of those witnesses said Hohbach left the party for a time and, when he returned, his hands were covered in orange paint - the same color used in the graffiti.

Kingston said Hohbach confessed to the vandalism when police confronted him with their evidence.

According to documents filed by Ellwood City Patrolman

Brian Damon with District Judge Jerry Cartwright, Hohbach said he had gotten drunk at a party on Dec. 27 and

returned to his home, where he found a can of orange spray paint.

When police asked him about the Greek letters, Hohbach said, "It took you long enough to figure that out,"

according to the court documents.

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